


What if Percy _had_ a version of charm speak?

by Eastonia, InfinityIllusion



Series: East and Fin's Percy Jackson Headcanons [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Charmspeak (Percy Jackson), Gen, Headcanon, Siren Percy Jackson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-03 22:12:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19473247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastonia/pseuds/Eastonia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfinityIllusion/pseuds/InfinityIllusion
Summary: In which InfinityIllusion and I had a little talk about a fanfic by NoTearsFalling and then spiralled into thinking about the possibilities surrounding it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [InfinityIllusion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfinityIllusion/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Siren's Voice](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/495565) by NoTearsFalling. 



  * The ‘Allure of the Sea’ is an ability that very few Poseidon kids get. You know how people say the sea is beguiling? And how Greek mythos sirens and modern day mer-people have been mixed up?  

    * It’s because some Poseidon kids, the most powerful ones, end up with this ability. It nearly always is heavily repressed. On top of that, unlike charmspeak the allure only works in _song_.

* * *

  * Percy always has repressed the allure in his voice, he infamously (in Camp) makes the Harpies sound angelic during the fireside sing-a-longs. 
    * Because here’s the thing subconscious repression of the allure results in some pretty tone-deaf, downright somehow autotuned IRL, bad singing.
    * His _di immortals the Harpies sound sweeter_ reputation concerning singing is basically cemented by the end of Summer ’05.
    * To be fair – he is twelve and puberty hasn’t yet hit him with the puberty stick _yet_.

* * *

  * Summer ’06 and the Sea of Monsters is when it starts. His voice hasn’t started cracking yet, but it _is_ maturing. And _to be fair_ he’s still not aware of the allure. 
    * Until the Sirens.
    * Because of course the Sirens.
  * Like in NoTearsFalling’s The Siren’s Voice, while saving Annabeth, some of the wax dislodges – just a little. Not enough for him to succumb, but it’d normally be enough for him to hear and see. Normally. But he doesn’t. 
    * This is when the allure subconsciously unrepressed itself. Percy needed the resistance that the allure would give.
    * After all a siren/siren-adjacent can’t succumb to their own song – that just would be silly.
  * Percy knew something was different after – he just didn’t know what – but the next time he sang in the shower (because the Campers _still_ remembered the sing-a-longs from last summer), he didn’t sound awful. 
    * He then was horrified because he literally sang one of the camp cats (the most foul tempered one I might add) to sleep by singing his mum’s lullaby.
    * Imagine his delight-turned-terror when first he realises _‘shit I can carry a tune’_ and then _‘shit I think I’m controlling things with my voice’_. 
      * After he realised the foulest tempered cat ever™ had fallen asleep in Cabin 3 he started singing a song Sally likes to play as a wake-me-up song – (it’s literally Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!) – the cat immediately wakes up.
    * He then starts singing the lullaby again (this time he purposely sings off tune – but tries to lace the _intent_ of sleep in the song), the cat is hissing and still awake and as foul tempered as ever. 
      * Percy makes the choice that day to never sing properly ever again.
      * This day would be forgotten but the choice remained. He sub/consciously repressed the allure and the memory.
    * The last campfire of the year, when Percy joins the sing-a-long he sub/consciously is _terrible_. But it isn’t the cringe of the year before, it’s the cringe you get when a genuinely good singer sings horribly on purpose. But no one (not even the Apollo kids, who to be fair cringe harder than the rest because it sounds _off_ ) picks up on the change.
    * Percy has no reason to tap into the allure. Percy doesn’t want to tap into the allure.
    * Percy forgets that he is actually a “decent” singer.

* * *

  * Years later Circe attacks a demigod sanctuary and uses charm speaking to enthral _everyone_. (There isn’t anyone with the charm speaking ability around to be a point of resistance – Circe _planned_ ahead rather well). 
    * Percy included.
    * But you know Percy has very, very strong Papa Wolf/Big Brother instincts.
    * Enthralled Percy sees a child about to be put in danger by the enthralling. 
      * I probably should mention that the little girl looks like Sadie Kane. And we know what Percy sees Sadie as.
    * The allure is unrepressed once again – Percy remembers – and he finds himself the sole person unenthralled by Circe’s charmspeak.
    * He takes a deep breath and _~Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men. It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!~_
      * He _sings_.




	2. In which Fin and I are pretty invested in the AllureoftheSea! Ability.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Fin and I try to work out what AllureoftheSea!Percy's voice would sound like. And then we spiralled.

  * The Allure of the Sea sort of does work like charmspeak (in song form).
  * Like the tides, it constantly shifts 
    * Fin headcanoned that sounds like a smoother, better version of whoever is your favourite male singer is for the genre.
  * But like the tides there is a constant. 
    * Percy does sound like whoever is your favourite male singer (of the genre you’re listening to), just smoother and better.
    * Unless he’s singing anything he helped to write or wrote himself. 
      * Then he sounds like _himself_.
      * Percy sounding like himself is quite possibly even better sounding than hearing the optimal version of your favourite male singer.
      * But not everyone knows this.
    * Percy sounding like himself is an _experience_. 
      * It’s pure, unadulterated Percy.
      * The Allure is there, but not there at the same time.
      * The Allure takes a back seat – but his voice is still _there_.
    * Annabeth has heard his original-slash-contributed to stuff. 
      * Percy _is_ her favourite male singer.
      * She actually gets to hear his voice now no matter what he sings.
    * There are a couple Campers that have heard his actual voice. 
      * ....and then he suddenly gets people following him around like ducklings listing to him
      * He was working on one of the pieces he was collaborating with the Apollo cabin on the underground. 
        * That was a bit of a mistake.
        * Everyone in the compartment that heard him got entranced.
        * There was a guy, who knew a guy, who knew a guy, who knew a _guy_ that owned a record label. Long story short? One audio recording, plus one grape vine, plus a week equals Percy having to turn down offers of signing on to a record label.
      * Someone else sneakily records him (without a good view of his face) singing a cover and uploads it onto YouTube. 
        * The video goes viral.
        * Lots of praise and support in the comments.
        * There are _fights_ in the comments section concerning who he sounds like.
        * #SubwaySiren becomes a thing.
      * The piece he was working on? The ensemble song to The Electric Felon the Musical (expansion of this bit of crack will eventually pop up in the theatre buffs headcanon).
    * Meanwhile Percy found a way to ‘sing’ properly without the Allure turning on. Don’t put any heart into the song. Conceal and don’t feel. Don’t let any emotions show. 
      * It’s technically on tune. The cadence is technically right.
      * But it _just sounds so wrong._
      * There is no investment, no _soul_ in the song. And everyone can hear it. 
        * And cringe.



**Author's Note:**

> If expansion is needed - I shall attempt to expand the headcanon.  
> Yes - Percy is singing Les Mis. I have no regrets.


End file.
